Dom Pérignon, 1996

This Champagne was a gift, and it was wonderful.  As I poked around the Internet, I noticed that more than one person suggested that this was the finest Dom Pérignon ever made.

Everyone in the party loved it!  One of my friends has tended to go for slightly sweeter Champagnes, and this certainly did not have the aggressive acidity that one often associates with lesser bone dry Champagnes.   He absolutely loved it.

The initial taste definitely had that doughy, bready smell and taste. It had nice citrus flavors with notes of nuts — almonds and hazel nuts.  The balance between complex fruit and acidity was perfect.

The bubbles made their way up the glass in a seemingly never-ending stream of fine mousse.  This is the kind of Champagne that red wine drinkers like — full bodied.  This wine is made with approximately equal proportions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  (Pinot Meunier, the other legal grape in Champagne was not used.)